Emergency train-stopping device.



V. E.RANDALL.

EMERGENCY TRAIN STGPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.9.1917.

`Iatented Dec. 3, 1918.

[/v VE/v TEUR.

[medica i inthe accompanying drawing in which "F ig i' prima ,i

`vieron. n. BANDALL,` or BATTLE GBBBK, MICHIGAN; AssIGnoB or onnnALrf'ro i BENJAMIN efwArKIiv,` or BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN. l

,BMEBGENCY `TBA;titsrorrnye Janvier..

To all whom it may concer/rt l Be it known that I,"V1c'ron E. RANDALL, a`

citizen of the `United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the'county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented` "certain new and useful improvements in Emergency Train-Stopping Devices, of which the following is a specification. e

The present invention consists oi' a portable device to be attached to the railjoint-` plates of a railroad for engaging apparatus on atrain especiallyequippedso that in passing, the contact with said device will bring the train to a stop. e i The principal object of the invention to aii'ord a mechanism of the characterset forth that may `be readily applied"` to the I rail joint-plates in cases of emergency for the stopping of trains entering danger zones caused by breakdowns, wrecks orother mlshapsincident to railway tralic.`

An embodiment of the device is illustrated ure"`1 is a side elevation ofthe deviceatftached to the rail joint-platea` e Fig.` 2 is an end elevation of the device attached to arail joint.

Fig. 3` is a longitudinal sectional e plan view of the device, the section showing the rail and its joint-,plates bisected` along their bolting line.

inthe drawings, like marks of reference refer to correspondingparts throughout the diierent views, in which A, represents T rails; B, the railway cross-ties; and C, the rail `mint-plates, the joint plates being fitted to either side of the rails andthe parts secured by means of bolts 1 in the customary manner.

Engaging the oppositeends o ajointplate C on the outer side of the rail, the inwardly-hooked terminals 2 of the clamping members 3 and i are fitted and the mmbers snugly drawn together by the provision of a rack and pinion, hereinafter more fully set forth, causing one member to slide upon the other.

As herein shown the member 3 is a sheath open at the end opposite its hooked extremity and on its outer side is formed with a slot 5 communicating with said open end, the slot aiiording a passageway through which the rack (5 of the sliding member el may extend.

The member 3 is formed with a side exwslieiccatonof Letters Patent. i Pmbqfnjlgdlngg tm, Afipneanunmea inventer 9,1917?. serialnzorose.

tending bracket "I, between the upper and lower sides ot" which a gear 8 adaptedto mesh with the rack 6 is iitted, an upperi extension 9 of said bracket forming an arm` adapted to project" in the path ot and to actuate said train stopping mechanism when cominginto contact therewith, and while l have shown a rigid arm for thepurpose set forth, I reserve the right to employ an arm 3 or device having an element of `flexibility orother nature to meet the exigencies of mechanism on a train to be `equipped with our train-stoppingmechanism `which engages" said arm or device to stop said train. .i

The gear 8 is fitted to a short `vertical shaft 10 journaledthrough the opposite lug Maand arm 9 areprovidedwith wellalinedholes forming bearings withinwhich 1Q/@rank Sheff 13 iS jounaled, a `crank 15l I being attached to said shaft by which the worm `12 may be operated to roll the` gears ".11 and `8 and cause the rack 6 and its hooked sob members to slidewithin andon the mem-` berj`3"` i y "To preventl the clamping membersfirom the arrangement of the parts being such that the shoe may be raised or lowered as occasion requires, and rigidly held when so adj usted.` i y Joint-plates, as C, are usuallvformed somewhat concave on the side adapted to engage a rail, and when bolted to place` leave elongated narrow openings between the rail and the plate at the plate ends within which the hooked members ofthe clamping mechanism `may be inserted, (a slot of this nature is represented in Fig. 2), the same providing a ready and exceedingly stable arrangement by which the portability of the emergency, device is made practical and efficient.

From the foregoing `description taken in `downward thrust or "strain, a vertically-ad-1 1 il U asf

connectionl with drawing, a more extended explanation of the operation and advantages -of the devieejis believed not to be necessary. v,

Having, therefore, described my invention, What I claim as new. andA desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.*In a deviceof the class set-forth, the combination with the railsandthe jointplate connectively bolting' them, of the hooked clamping members engaging the ends of-'said joint-plates between said Vjointplates and said rails, the arm extending from said clampingcmembers for engaging train-stopping mechanism,= and means for attaching 01' releasing saidclampingmembersr from said joint-plate, for the purpose set forth and described.

2. In a device of the class set forth,I the combination With the rails and the jointplate connectively bolting them, of the hooked clamping members engaging the ends ofY said plates;r between said plates and said rails, thejarm extending from one of said clamping members for engaging train stopping mechanism,l and means to, slidably move said clamping members longitudinally on ,oneV another, for the1 purpose set forth and described.

3. In a device of the class set forth, the

combination with the rails and the jointplates' connectively attached thereto1 of hookedv members engaging the endsof said joint plates between` said rails and said joint plates and longitudinally slidable on one another, means projecting from said joint plates for engaging train stopping mechanism, means to adjustably s members in locked contact, stabilize said y.hooked members, for the purpose setmforth andA described.

l-ide said hooked' and means to.

- 4. In a device of the class set forth, the combination With the rails and the jointplate comiectively bolting them, of the hooked members engaging the ends of said plates between said plates and said rails, the armextending from one of said clamping members for engaging train stopping mechanism, means for slidablymov-ing one of said members upon the other, and a stabilizing shoe adjustably iitted to said members, for the purpose set forth and described.

5.In a device of the class set forth the combination of the slidably fitted hooked members, the bracket extending` beyond one of said 1ne1nbers, the spur gear journaled in said bracket, the rack of 011e of the. said hooked members engaging said gear, the Worm gear fitted to thel shafty of said spul gear, the Wormv engaging said worm gear, the crank on the shaft of saidworm gear, the arm extending from said bracket, and the vertically-adjustable shoe fitted to said bracket, substantially as set forth and described.

6,` In a device of the class set forth. the combination with the rails and the joint plate connecting them, of longitudinallyy adjustable members having inwardly facing hooked outer extremities engagingthe ends of said joint-plate between saidl joint plates and said rails, one ofsaid members forming a sheath. open at its inner end and open along its-outer side, theother of said members fittingivithin said sheath, and means t0 longitudinally move` one member with respect to the other in locked engagement.

VICTOR E. f RANDALL.

Witnesses:

HOWARD H, BALnomrr,y BLANCHE E. VAN HUYsEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tlvevcents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C," 

